SINCE 1828

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1

spangle

noun span·gle \ ˈspaŋ-gəl \

Updated on: 18 Mar 2018

Definition of spangle

1 : a small plate of shining metal or plastic used for ornamentation especially on clothing

2 : a small glittering object or particle

See spangle defined for English-language learners

See spangle defined for kids

Examples of spangle in a Sentence

showgirls dressed in costumes with gold spangles

Recent Examples of spangle from the Web

Somewhere in the South Pacific, there are women dressed in sequins, spangles and rhinestones, Katz said, as the audience erupted with applause and delight.

— lynne terry, OregonLive.com, "Hundreds turn out to celebrate late mayor Vera Katz," 28 Jan. 2018
Equally head turning were the washes of holographic pigment on the lids at Stella Jean and the spangles of tiny sequins tapped onto the nude pouts at Shrimps.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "The 8 Top Beauty Trends From the Spring 2018 Fashion Shows," 11 Oct. 2017
The scrim of daytime sky gives way to a bright spangle of stars.

— richard conniff, Smithsonian, "A New Age of Discovery Is Happening Right Now in the Remote Forests of Suriname," 29 Mar. 2017
The eruption will signal the moment two stars locked in a cosmic dance have merged, exploding into a red nova that will briefly give Cygnus an extra stellar spangle.

— nadia drake, National Geographic, "How to See a Star Explode in 2022," 6 Jan. 2017
The scrim of daytime sky gives way to a bright spangle of stars.

— richard conniff, Smithsonian, "A New Age of Discovery Is Happening Right Now in the Remote Forests of Suriname," 2 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spangle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of spangle

Middle English spangel, diminutive of spang shiny ornament, probably from Middle Dutch spange; akin to Old English spang buckle, Middle Dutch spannen to stretch

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

2

spangle

verb

Definition of spangle

spangled; spangling play \ˈspaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

: to set or sprinkle with or as if with spangles

intransitive verb

: to glitter as if covered with spangles : sparkle

See spangle defined for English-language learners

Examples of spangle in a Sentence

in typical Las Vegas fashion, the showgirls' sequined costumes spangled gloriously

Recent Examples of spangle from the Web

Lebanon's cheerleaders honored Pickett by pinning thin blue ribbons to their black, white and gold spangled cheer tops.

— arika herron, Indianapolis Star, "Community rocked by tragedy gets back on its feet with help from basketball team," 11 Mar. 2018
Translation: From a business standpoint, NFL players kneeling during the national anthem was a massive star-spangled blunder.

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Former Orlando City coach Adrian Heath's return likely to be filled with tears and cheers," 9 Mar. 2018
The landscape went from the midcentury’s world of largely custom confections (consider looks like Barbra Streisand’s spangled, see-through Arnold Scaasi pajamas of once-upon-a-time) to straight-off-the-runway numbers.

— Vogue, "21 Iconic Oscars Looks That Debuted on the Runway," 27 Feb. 2017
Lording over the merry panoply is the Christmas tree, spangled with lights, ornaments, tinsel and crowned by a shimmering star.

— george ball, WSJ, "Mistletoe Is an Endangered Species," 21 Dec. 2017
The menu at Veladora is spangled with fresh California cuisine—slow poached lobster with lemon vinaigrette, burrata cheese, and pickled, roasted beets.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa," 20 Oct. 2017
The Indianapolis Colts announced at an emotional news conference Wednesday that Manning has been released after 14 mostly star-spangled seasons.

— phil richards, Indianapolis Star, "Celebrating Peyton Manning: He leaves legacy far beyond the field in Indianapolis," 29 Sep. 2017
Kneeling for the national anthem is proving to be a star-spangled blunder.

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "An Army (and Navy) of reasons why Magic should not kneel for national anthem," 27 Sep. 2017
Key's song was played at some baseball games in the 1890s, often with great pomp, Ferris says, but the World Series in 1918 offered a star-spangled moment.

— erik brady, USA TODAY, "How national anthem became essential part of sports," 26 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spangle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of spangle

circa 1548

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

spangle Synonyms

Synonyms

coruscate, flame, flash, glance, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, glitter, luster (or lustre), scintillate, shimmer, sparkle, twinkle, wink, winkle;

Related Words

beam, radiate, shine;

bedazzle, blind, daze, dazzle;

blaze, burn, flare, glare, glow;

SPANGLE Defined for English Language Learners

spangle

noun

Definition of spangle for English Language Learners

: a small, shiny piece of metal or plastic that is used to decorate clothing

spangle

verb

Definition of spangle for English Language Learners

: to decorate or cover (something) with many small, shiny objects

SPANGLE Defined for Kids

spangle

noun span·gle \ ˈspaŋ-gəl \

Definition of spangle for Students

: sequin

Learn More about spangle

See words that rhyme with spangle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for spangle Spanish Central: Translation of spangle Nglish: Translation of spangle for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up spangle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

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Examples: spangle in a Sentence